Children Exposed in Open Chat Rooms... The Trap of One-on-One Chats [Sexual Exploitation, Out]

① Dangerous Open Chat Rooms

Editor's NoteChild and adolescent prostitution is defined as sexual exploitation. This is because children and adolescents, whose sexual self-determination is immature, cannot be considered as subjects capable of sexual consent or contracts. Children and adolescents who quickly form intimate relationships online through social media, messengers, and anonymous platforms are now more easily drawn into sexual exploitation crimes than before. According to the Central Digital Sex Crime Victim Support Center of the Korea Women's Human Rights Institute, one in four people (27.8%) who received support for digital sex crime damage last year were teenagers. Compared to 2023, the number of teenage victims who received support from the center increased by more than 600 people (3.3 percentage points). Crimes of sexual exploitation against children and adolescents are clear acts of sexual abuse. This article examines whether there are ways to prevent such crimes and what specific measures are needed, based on actual cases.

1. "Anyone want to be friends with me?"

When searching for slang referring to teenagers, a series of open chat rooms with hashtags appeared. The profile pictures in these chat rooms were mostly upper-body shots of female teenagers with their faces partially hidden. This was a common type of open chat room. When I clicked on one of the chat rooms, a message appeared saying, "There are too many people currently chatting one-on-one, so you cannot join."

2. A man used an anonymous social networking service (SNS) to search for a specific region and the word "condition."

"Condition" is shorthand for "conditional meeting." While searching, he found a post indicating a willingness to engage in a conditional meeting. He suspected the person was underage, but did not care. To lure the target, he specifically mentioned monetary compensation. He tried to persuade by saying the friend could join as well.

"Should I give you 40,000 won?"

"Let's have your friend join too."

After exchanging a few messages, it became clear the person was underage. The age was revealed. Other men joined the chat as well, becoming even bolder.

"I'm 13 years old."

"If you have sex, I'll buy you a game console."

They promised monetary rewards to children under the age of 13 they met through SNS, luring them to motels, cars, and other locations. (Excerpt from court ruling on violation of the Act on the Protection of Children and Juveniles from Sexual Abuse, etc.)

Children Exposed in Open Chat Rooms... The Trap of One-on-One Chats [Sexual Exploitation, Out]

3. "Buying girls' items, 30,000 won per piece"

Kim, a 15-year-old middle school student, told her parents she wanted to go to a concert of her favorite singer. When they refused and told her to save up her allowance, she was swayed by a phrase she saw on SNS. She thought she could sell without meeting in person.

Kim first sent an instant message (direct message) to confirm if the offer was real. The other person said they would transfer the money first and asked her to send a photo. When she did as told, they pressured her to send more photos.

When she continued to express distrust, Kim thought she might not get any money and sent a photo with her face hidden. Suddenly, the other person changed their attitude. The man mentioned her name and bank account number as he claimed to be transferring the money.

"Do your parents or friends know what you're doing?"

This was the beginning of a nightmare. In the end, Kim succumbed to threats demanding a photo of her face and sent it. She was eventually pressured to send photos with excessive nudity. (Reconstructed from a real case included in the Korea Women's Human Rights Institute's publication on digital sex crime response and prevention)